1994 World Club Challenge
Encyclopedia
The 1994 MMI
World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge
, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan
facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos
, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the previous four consecutive Rugby Football League Championships and Challenge Cup
tournaments. The Broncos, having won consecutive premierships in 1992 and 1993 were the dominant team in the Australian game at the time. In the World Club Challenge, this time played unusually late in the year, Wigan were looking to get revenge for their loss against Brisbane in the previous encounter and got out to a strong first half lead. The English club then survived a second half come back from Brisbane to take the match, cementing their position as the world's dominant rugby league club of the period.
The match was played at Brisbane's ANZ Stadium
on the 1st of June in the middle of the 1994 NSWRL season. A crowd of 54,220 (which remains a record for a World Club Challenge
match today) turned out for the game which was refereed by Greg McCallum. Wigan's chances didn't look good up against a star-studded Broncos side since both of their first choice test props, Kelvin Skerrett
(broken jaw) and Andy Platt
had been ruled out injured. In addition their coach, John Dorahy
, had been sacked just weeks before so they went into the match under caretaker coach Graeme West.
Wigan opened the scoring in the seventh minute, when Dennis Betts pounced on a high ball from Shaun Edwards. The British champions added to this with another try in the 16th minute from Barrie Jon-Mather, bringing the unlikely score of 12 nil in favour of the visitors. In the 27th minute, Wendell Sailor opened the scoring for Brisbane when he beat Martin Offiah on the wing to put the ball down in the corner. The failed conversion meant a half-time lead for Wigan of 12 - 4.
Just three minutes into the second half a defining moment in the game took place when Michael Hancock knocked on and Jason Robinson picked up the ball and sped away, beating Sailor to score Wigan's third try. Frano Botica made it three from three with the boot when he kicked the extras, bringing the score to 18 - 4. Brisbane staged a comeback though, with Hancock making amends for his knock on with a try at the 46-minute mark and Julian O'Neill getting a try on 59 minutes. Wigan's lead was brought back to four points, but their defence held the Broncos out for the remainder of the game. A 66th minute penalty by Botica meant a perfect night with the boot for him and a final score of 14 - 20.
Wigan's captain Shaun Edwards was named man-of-the-match and his team had reclaimed the WCC trophy, going home with the $400,000 of prize money. With the Super League war
looming, this was to be the last WCC match until Super League's 1997 season
, and the last time the British and Australian champions faced off until the year 2000.
Manufacturers Mutual Insurance
The Manufacturers' Mutual Accident Insurance Association Limited was an Australian insurance company founded in 1914 primarily targeting the Workers' Compensation market...
World Club Challenge was a replay of the 1992 World Club Challenge
1992 World Club Challenge
The 1992 World Club Challenge match was contested by the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan and the 1992 NSWRL season's premiers, the Brisbane Broncos...
, with 1993–94 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
facing the 1993 NSWRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, this time in Australia. Wigan were clearly the dominant club in the English game, having won the previous four consecutive Rugby Football League Championships and Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
tournaments. The Broncos, having won consecutive premierships in 1992 and 1993 were the dominant team in the Australian game at the time. In the World Club Challenge, this time played unusually late in the year, Wigan were looking to get revenge for their loss against Brisbane in the previous encounter and got out to a strong first half lead. The English club then survived a second half come back from Brisbane to take the match, cementing their position as the world's dominant rugby league club of the period.
Match details
| Brisbane Broncos | Wigan | |
|---|---|---|
| Willie Carne Willie Carne William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia... |
1. FB | Gary Connolly Gary Connolly Gary J. Connolly was a rugby league full back who later played at centre for St Helens, Canterbury Bulldogs, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and for the Great Britain national side. In the twilight of his career, he played rugby union for Irish side Munster.Connolly was a dependable centre capable of... |
| Wendell Sailor Wendell Sailor Wendell Jermaine Sailor is an Australian former professional rugby football player who represented his country in both rugby league and rugby union – a dual code international. He is an Australian Torres Strait Islander.Sailor's large frame and bullocking style changed the way wingers played rugby... |
2. WG | Jason Robinson Jason Robinson Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for... |
| Steve Renouf Steve Renouf Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest... |
3. CE | Sam Panapa Sam Panapa Sam Panapa is a former rugby league player and coach who represented three countries in his career.-Playing career:A Te Atatu Roosters junior in the Auckland Rugby League competitions, Panapa played club football in Britain for Wigan... |
| Chris Johns Chris Johns (rugby league) Chris Johns is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He played in the centres, achieving representative honours for Australia and New South Wales. His club football career was spent with the St. George Dragons and Brisbane Broncos, as well as a spell in England with... |
4. CE | Barrie Jon-Mather |
| Michael Hancock Michael Hancock (rugby league) Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories... |
5. WG | Martin Offiah Martin Offiah Martin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire... |
| Kevin Walters Kevin Walters Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the... |
6. FE | Frano Botica Frano Botica Frano Michael Botica is a former rugby union and rugby league player who represented his country at both sports and also played for Croatia in a rugby union world cup qualifying match.-Rugby union:... |
| Allan Langer Allan Langer Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos... (c) |
7. HB | Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach.... (c) |
| Glenn Lazarus Glenn Lazarus Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin... |
8. PR | Neil Cowie Neil Cowie Neil Cowie is an English born Welsh former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Rochdale Hornets, and Wigan Warriors, playing at , i.e... |
| Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships... |
9. HK | Martin Dermott Martin Dermott Martin Dermott is a former professional rugby league footballler who was capped 12 times for the Great Britain national team... |
| Andrew Gee Andrew Gee Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL... |
10. PR | Billy McGinty Billy McGinty (rugby league) Billy McGinty is a Scottish former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century. He played in the forwards for Wigan during the period in the 1990s when they dominated the sport, and later for Workington Town.... |
| Mark Hohn Mark Hohn Mark Hohn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. A front-rower, he represented Queensland in the State of Origin on nine occasions and played one test for Australia as a reserve forward against France in mid-1994... |
11. SR | Denis Betts Denis Betts Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby... |
| Alan Cann Alan Cann Alan Cann is an Australian former rugby league footaballer of the 1990s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played club football mostly with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won consecutive grand finals in '92 and '93, and also with the Adelaide Rams.-Career:Former Australian... |
12. SR | Andy Farrell |
| Julian O'Neill Julian O'Neill O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995... |
13. LF | Phil Clarke Phil Clarke Phil Clarke is an English rugby league football commentator and former professional player of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain and England international representative loose forward, he spent his club career with Wigan, as well as a stint in Australia with the Sydney Roosters.Phil Clarke is the... |
| John Plath John Plath John Plath is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He played in all of the Brisbane Broncos' first four grand final wins from the interchange bench and retired as the most-capped Bronco not to have played representative football.... |
14. Bench | Va'aiga Tuigamala Va'aiga Tuigamala Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala MNZM is a Samoan rugby footballer. As well as playing for the All Blacks, he represented Samoa in both rugby union and rugby league, playing at centre and wing... |
| Peter Ryan Peter Ryan (rugby league) Peter Ryan is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played ten seasons with the Brisbane Broncos and finished his career playing rugby union for the ACT Brumbies.Ryan attended Downlands... |
15. Bench | Martin Hall |
| Brett Galea | 16. Bench | Mick Cassidy Mick Cassidy Michael "Mick" D. Cassidy, is an English former rugby league player. Cassidy is currently the fitness coach for the Widnes Vikings after retring from the game in 2008. Cassidy had a wealth experience with the dominant Wigan side of the early to mid-90s. Cassidy is a Great Britain representative... |
| Chris McKenna Chris McKenna Chris McKenna is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for Queensland and Australia as well as club sides the Brisbane Broncos, South Queensland Crushers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. His usual position was second row, though while he played... |
17. Bench | Paul Atcheson Paul Atcheson Paul 'Patch' Atcheson is British former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Widnes Vikings , Wigan, Oldham Bears, and St. Helens, playing at , i.e... |
| Wayne Bennett | Coach | Graeme West Graeme West Graeme Leonard West is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer and coach. Standing at six-foot, five inches, he played in the forwards, captaining English club Wigan... |
The match was played at Brisbane's ANZ Stadium
Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre
The Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre , more commonly known by its former names ANZ Stadium or QE II, is a major sporting facility on the south side of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
on the 1st of June in the middle of the 1994 NSWRL season. A crowd of 54,220 (which remains a record for a World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
match today) turned out for the game which was refereed by Greg McCallum. Wigan's chances didn't look good up against a star-studded Broncos side since both of their first choice test props, Kelvin Skerrett
Kelvin Skerrett
Kelvin Skerrett is a British former professional rugby league footballer. His position was .Kelvin Skerrett was a Welsh international and played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup...
(broken jaw) and Andy Platt
Andy Platt
Andy Platt is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain international representative prop forward, he played for English clubs St Helens, Wigan, Widnes and Salford, as well as in New Zealand for the Auckland Warriors.-Playing career:He started his...
had been ruled out injured. In addition their coach, John Dorahy
John Dorahy
John Dorahy is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League premiership and also represented for NSW Country, New South Wales Origin and Australia. Dorahy later played and coached in the English Rugby Football League...
, had been sacked just weeks before so they went into the match under caretaker coach Graeme West.
Wigan opened the scoring in the seventh minute, when Dennis Betts pounced on a high ball from Shaun Edwards. The British champions added to this with another try in the 16th minute from Barrie Jon-Mather, bringing the unlikely score of 12 nil in favour of the visitors. In the 27th minute, Wendell Sailor opened the scoring for Brisbane when he beat Martin Offiah on the wing to put the ball down in the corner. The failed conversion meant a half-time lead for Wigan of 12 - 4.
Just three minutes into the second half a defining moment in the game took place when Michael Hancock knocked on and Jason Robinson picked up the ball and sped away, beating Sailor to score Wigan's third try. Frano Botica made it three from three with the boot when he kicked the extras, bringing the score to 18 - 4. Brisbane staged a comeback though, with Hancock making amends for his knock on with a try at the 46-minute mark and Julian O'Neill getting a try on 59 minutes. Wigan's lead was brought back to four points, but their defence held the Broncos out for the remainder of the game. A 66th minute penalty by Botica meant a perfect night with the boot for him and a final score of 14 - 20.
Wigan's captain Shaun Edwards was named man-of-the-match and his team had reclaimed the WCC trophy, going home with the $400,000 of prize money. With the Super League war
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
looming, this was to be the last WCC match until Super League's 1997 season
Super League (Australia) season 1997
The 1997 Super League season was the 90th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the first and only to be run by the News Limited-controlled Super League organisation...
, and the last time the British and Australian champions faced off until the year 2000.